Change Lives

Monday, 30 March 2015

I`ve been here 2 weeks today and it`s been a bit of a whirlwind – or perhaps, more correctly, I`ve been a bit of a whirlwind – not quite what they were expecting, I don`t think. The biggest problem is that this woman here doesn`t have much of a sense of humour; she failed to be amused by me belting upstairs to trampoline on her bed, doing rapid circuits round the garden through the flower beds and clearing the kitchen worktops of anything inadvertently left out (including removing a very large bite out of a freshly-baked cake). I managed that one really stealthily while she was still in the room!

She`s got me this collar that vibrates (remember I'm deaf after having my ear canals removed) so I can`t pretend I don`t know when she wants me. The idea is that it vibrates, I look at her and then I go and get a treat when I`ve done whatever she wants. I`ve decided to play along with that one because the treats are good and, anyway, it gives me something to do and I do so love to keep busy. I can even do it when we`re out on a walk so I get loads more treats than the other dogs – not that they can keep up with me anyway. Even the big Oscar, who thinks he`s in charge, is pretty much toast when I`ve run him round for a bit! There`s talk of something called school to see if I can behave myself in a room full of dogs – bring it on – I don`t think she`ll be winning that one so easily.

Funny though, in spite of all the bossiness and stern looks, I heard her telling someone the other day that I`m incredibly intelligent, quick to learn and am now behaving perfectly around the house. Apparently, I`m the best fun dog she`s ever had and an adorable little gem who will be a massive gift to the person lucky enough to have me. Maybe she`s gradually coming round.......................

Thanks to everyone at Shak that looked after me and got me this chance - I`m having a ball. Layla x

Now she's officially a SHAK girl, Layla can start to make the new friends she's been desperate for since she arrived. She's so sociable and it was great seeing her run free with Kennedy yesterday.

Mind I think we're going to have to work on her fitness as our big boy had her worn out at the end!

Still to see these two having so much fun together, especially with them both being American Bulldogs, made me so proud of them, and with the world seemingly against them because of their breed moments like this are even more special.

Thursday, 26 March 2015

This was the reaction I got from Layla this afternoon when I told her that she had finally become a fully fledged SHAK dog. It's a far cry from when she arrived with us.....

How Sorry Does She Look?

Emaciated.....

Covered In Sores.....

Layla came to us desperate for help. In a really precarious position, emaciated and covered with horrendous sores. TLC goes a long way, but you need to know the little bit extra that makes a turn around like this, and once again my team have really shown their expertise in getting Layla's life back on track. Now she is ours we will try to find an opportunity for her to make that next step, and get the love she deserves all for herself.

Legal reason's meant I couldn't say anything about Layla until today, and now the time has come I think now words will do her turnaround justice. So instead I'll leave you with a picture of me and her taken today, along with one I took when she arrived.....

Monday, 23 March 2015

I was away at the weekend, but it didn't mean that I forgot about two great SHAK characters who taught me a lot about the world of rescue. Dogs we have now, and others that are no longer with us have all benefited from the experiences and illness that these two brave soldiers had gone through.....

Saturday marked the 6th anniversary since we lost Roman. A brave, brave boy who taught us all so much. roman gave me the knowledge, strength and confidence to take on dogs such as Dudley, and I think the fact he spent his final days with a family that loved him dearly despite all his illnesses was great motivation to keep going as well as the perfect ending. Here's his old story taken from our old forum when he died:

"Roman came to us on Saturday 27th December 2008 in a shocking state. He was completely emaciated, very weak and very wobbly. His condition was so bad that I had to carry him from the van that had transported him all the way from Sheffield. Despite clearly being neglected beyond belief, he was a very affectionate boy. After two months of love and good food, Roman was very settled within himself, although he was still not gaining weight, however he had certainly found his zest for life. His CDRM appeared to be stabilising, and on the 21st February 2009 probably the best thing that had ever happened to Roman happened….. he went to a foster home!

His new family were wonderful, he had a beautiful German Shepherd girlfriend that he played with for hours, and a Mam and Dad who loved him dearly.

In the month that he was there, Roman showed what a wonderful character he was, and was such a gentlemen with his girlfriend. He adored his dad so much, and just seeing him living a normal life was a miracle when you remembered the dog that was just waiting to fade away when he arrived.

Despite the fact illness got the better of his back end in the end, this is by no way a sad end to a story. In my eyes it is a happy ending. The fact that we were able to help a dog that didn’t want to live anymore, and that he left behind so many people and another dog who loved him so much. It shows what can be achieved if people are prepared to work and put the effort in, and how worthwhile it all can be when you see a dog as happy as Roman was at the end. I always knew he would break our hearts, but in fact he filled them with joy, and gave the whole charity the emphasis to go down the road of helping the dogs that need it the most."

Roman when he arrived.

Roman at home.

Sunday was another special day, as it was 4 years since we had to say goodbye to another special boy that was so brave. Chance had been through double cruciate ligament operation, but his body was riddled with arthritis so badly that the strain from not being able to put weight on his back legs seriously affected the front ones. He had a great time with us, and made some lifelong friends, having been booked into be destroyed we gave him a "chance" and he was worth every minute..... Here's what I wrote the day he died:

"As expected we had to say good bye this morning to a brave brave soldier that has won the hearts of us all. Chance has now moved onto a better place where I am sure he'll be running riot and having fun.Special thank you to Karen and Mike for giving Chance so much, and they were with him right to the end. Even as he slept away, his tail was wagging, it was as if he knew he'd be without pain soon.Special thanks to too Andrea and her family for offering him somewhere to go if a miracle happened, and also to Jonathon at Moorview vets for making the morning as dignified as possible. Chance really was such a brave boy, and we can only imagine the pain he must of been going through.However despite coming to us after biting his owner just three weeks after a double cruciate ligament operation and when a vet was booked to destroy him, it wasn't aggression that cost him his life. We had to let him go purely because his body was breaking up, and that is something that means a lot to us all individually and as a charity.We were lucky to have shared three months with Chance, he was one special dog. The photos above are of goodbyes this morning. Even in excruciating pain, look how proud he is."No one is more proud of you than me big man, enjoy the running. I'll never forget you. X"

Thursday, 19 March 2015

It was incredible to watch Maisie show little Daisy the ropes today, as I threw her in at the deep end.

It's hard to believe that not long ago Maisie (the brindle dog) was the most dog aggressive dog we had. Now she is one of the BEST stooge dogs we've ever had.

Daisy has clearly not seen a lot, the evidence in two temporary foster homes shows that, yet today the way her whole behaviour and attitude changed when Maisie just didn't react to anything was incredible.

I'm really proud of these two for such different reasons, but having seen Maisie work her magic today, for her to be kicked out like trash is simply a crime.

Tuesday, 17 March 2015

We've had a great response to Doyle's Change Lives appeal with £75 already raised towards next months medication. However, if you haven't already seen it.....

After the success of the Change Lives £5,000 challenge, tonight see's another Change Lives Everyclick appeal. However this one is a smaller appeal, but as vitally important.....

Everybody who has heard of SHAK knows of Doyle. The ex scrapyard dog that came up with north with his brother Bodie in a horrific state and just hours away from being shot. Today Doyle is one of the first SHAK dog a new team member meets, such is the transformation in the biggest German Shepherd I've ever known.

Old age is catching up with Doyle, and examination and tests reveal he is suffering from a horrendous condition called "Anal Furunculosis." The condition is one that I haven't personally come across before, but is quite well know to German Shepherds. Anal Furunculosis is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease that results in ulceration and inflammation in the area surrounding the anus.

The condition can be treated medically, surgery is a very last resort, but the drugs are extremely expensive. This is where we need your support once again.....

It has been estimated by the vets that the cost of the drugs a dog of Doyle's size would need is £195.38 per month! We desperately want to give him the best treatment possible, but the sad fact of the matter is we do not have a spare £200 per month.

Since being diagnosed people have been very generous, but having just paid for his next months tablets, it would be fantastic if we already had next months medication paid for.

So, we're asking if you can help us raise the £200 we need in the next 28 days until we have to buy more.....

You can donate towards Doyles medication via the link below, and thank you in advance.

IMPORTANT STATEMENT APRIL 2018

A Statement From SHAK.....

One of the drawbacks of gaining followers through Facebook, the press and other forms of media is the demand for our expertise is growing beyond a level that is manageable or even acceptable. We are a victim of our own success and with constantly running with around 70 dogs in our care, being such a small charity we are always stretched beyond our limit.

Therefore I think it is important for me to explain exactly where we get our dogs from and who we will deal with. For the past 12 years we have dealt very closely with vets taking destruction cases, local councils taking strays and a few recognised partnered charities that we have built up strong relationships with. Today this is still the case.

As I mentioned space and resources are very short resulting us being unable to take dogs from members of the public and due to time we are ubable to deal with the publuc in any way. Likewise we are not looking to extend our pool of partnered charities or organisations, so can not take dogs from groups we have never worked with before.

It is not out of ignorance, but due to concentrating our time on our own dogs that no unsolicited emails, phonecalls or Facebook messages will be returned.

Thank you for understanding and for all of your support.

Who We Are.....

Stephen Wylie and one of the SHAK dogs Donnie.

And What We Do.....

Celebrating its 10th anniversary on June 19th 2016, SHAK has come a long way since its founder Stephen Wylie uttered those fateful words ‘never again...’ after the shock death of his dog and best friend Shak.

The hundreds of dogs whose lives have been changed because of that loss is testament to a dog that had a lasting imprint on everyone he met.....

Today the registered charity has approximately 70 dogs inits care, offering sanctuary to the ones that really need it or a place to simply become a dog again for others.

Working only with destruction cases from vets, strays anddogs from our trusted charity partners, SHAK does not take in dogs from members of the public. Likewise we are not a rehoming centre, although we do offer the opportunity for people to apply for our Forever Foster project.

We concentrate all of our time, energy and resources directly into the well being of our dogs, enriching lives that others had written off.....

Keep Calm

Ways You Can Donate.....

We are delighted to announce our new partnership with Vodafone, and provide a simple and effective way of you to help us "Save Even More Dogs On Death Row."

Simply text SHAK01 £10 to 70070 to donate to Shak (Safe Homes And Kindness) and make a difference today. You can donate any amount upto £10 by simply changing the amount in the text, and the best thing is we get EVERY penny.

Thanks in advance for your support.

"It's A Dogs Life....."

A Blog page to show all the work that goes on behind the scenes at SHAK.

A brief insight into how our dogs get here, and what they do when they get here…..

(Please note, all opinions and views on here are exactly that, OUR opinions and views ony.)